ATD Fourth World in

New Mexico

In New Mexico, ATD Fourth World works with community members and other partners to create innovative opportunities in education and the arts, as well as meaningful engagement opportunities for people who want to bring their skills and knowledge to social change work. Our programs build on family strengths and promote the recognition of families impacted by poverty as valuable members of society.

As our local initiatives evolve, they consistently aim to uplift individuals and uphold their dignity, strengthen families, building on their efforts to thrive and stay together, and transform communities by creating nurturing spaces that inspire inclusive community change where every family can flourish and know they belong. 

As in other rural areas, ATD Fourth World in the American Southwest taps into the social fabric of the community through existing family and community spaces: flea markets, public schools and libraries, and gathering spaces--like playgrounds--in the heart of low income communities. ATD Fourth World’s presence aims to inspire positive change by creating spaces where families have access to high quality experiences, supportive community relationships can be lived out, and the people the most impacted by poverty feel their dignity upheld. We invite all community members to see these spaces and programs as a vehicle for their own contribution to the well-being of their community, adding to this growing web of engagement and connections that further strengthens the social fabric.

ATD Fourth World connects with communities throughout the Four Corners region through our homebase in Gallup, New Mexico, a hub for the people of the region due to its proximity to the vast Navajo Nation and Zuni Pueblo, and its central location in McKinley County. Our team welcomes volunteers, interns, and students for their field placement.  Please contact us to get involved or learn more.

 

STORY GARDEN

Story Gardens are intergenerational family spaces at the Gallup Flea Market and in Gamerco, New Mexico. Trained facilitators, including community parents, make books, puzzles, art activities and other resources available to families—free of charge—with a focus on reaching those who are most affected by poverty. Children at Story Garden are also invited to connect with kids from all backgrounds through engaging activities proposed by our international children’s network, Tapori. Story Garden on Wheels, our arts and learning van, takes the program on the road to reach the most isolated families and communities throughout the Four Corners region. 

BUILDING ON FAMILIES’ HOPES

The most disadvantaged families have hopes and goals for their family’s future. ATD Fourth World strives to support families to:

• Access services that build on their hopes and goals for their families

• Design and implement programs and events that are uplifting

 • Join community art projects that deepen family and community bonds

• Engage in training and leadership opportunities 

• Build collective knowledge to inform advocacy for positive social change

SCIENCE EDUCATION PROGRAM

As part of the mission to promote access to an equitable education for everyone, ATD Fourth World in New Mexico develops programs aimed at enhancing the quality of education in underserved communities where teaching staff and students are challenged every day by a chronic lack of prime educational resources. This lack creates a divide between underserved schools and well-funded ones that affects students’ success and perpetuates the cycle of poverty.

As such, the Science Education Program is designed to provide quality and low-cost materials for students to learn about different subjects in a way that stimulates their curiosity and nurtures their pleasure of learning. This pilot program includes individual learning kits that are distributed for free and can be used in the classroom or at home. It also includes travelling science exhibits and tools that can be loaned for free to schools.

To learn more or order learning kits, contact us!